Why I Cut Me Some Slack and Breathe Better Now

I was given the gift of time! I can finally cut me some slack, I thought after the pandemic came. 

Because I no longer needed to check the weather forecast to decide how to dress. I didn’t need to worry about what I needed to pack with me in case I decided to do some activity in the city after work. And, I didn’t need to prepare my meals in advance or finish house chores the day before. I escaped the morning and evening rush, not having to hop on a bus, metro, and tram and reach my destination 50 minutes later.

I could just wing it. At my home office. Wow, I thought, I will save hours each day! I better fill it with something useful. See, I always look for room for improvement. For ways to do things more efficiently. I can do more, I can do better, I can be better and when’s a better time than now?

By the end of the year, I filled my to-do list with things I felt I needed to deliver on. As the restrictions were lowering in mid-December, I felt obliged to show up at the office more often. Oh no, here goes my gift of time, flexibility, and comfort. All the things I felt now were expected from me and all the things I felt entitled to, they suddenly went away from the route I had planned.

“Hello darkness, my old friend”

After a particularly eventful day at the office, I found a seat on the metro, going home. I looked up to take in an image of tired faces partially hidden behind their masks. Ugh, I looked away and I squeezed my backpack tighter as I sank deeper into the seat. I swallowed and the sensation seemed to last an eternity. A hole in the spacetime continuum. When I looked up again, the faces were out of focus.

What’s that?

This isn’t normal.

Is it?

This is bad.

Huh, I can’t even take a proper breath.

Fuck.

I’m fucked.

I can’t control this.

Fuuuck!

I’m going crazy.

There is nothing I can do to control it!

I’m losing my mind.

I’m a mad person.

This is the end.

Wait.

This feels familiar…

I’ve been here before 

And…

I did survive.

Yes!

Close your eyes. 

Take a deep breath. 

Feel the air filling your lungs. 

Slowly 

Exhale. 

One 

Two

Three

Four

One

More

Time. 

Inhale. 

One 

Two 

Three

Four

…

When I opened my eyes again, although shaken, I knew what my new room for improvement was:

Cut me some slack

So this year I won’t be on the lookout for things I can make more efficient in the shortest possible time, I won’t set strict deadlines and try to get ahead, I won’t chase after all the cool projects. And, not that this is some sudden epiphany, I think it’s important that I absolutely make it my priority to cut me some slack.

The gift of time is an amazing thing. Probably even more so when not used in a self-destructive way. One might self-sabotage by procrastinating and I’m on the opposite spectrum, doing all the things at once. I believe the solution is the same though. Surrender, accept ourselves, people, and things as they are in the given moment, and let go of judgment and expectations.

Easier said than done, huh? I find great comfort in practicing the principles of mindfulness. And I will share the top three things that work for me and maybe you will find there something for yourself (and comment or message me on my Facebook Page if you’d like me to share more or if you want to share your experience).

• Meditation
• Yoga
• Creation

1.Meditation

Meditation? What if it’s not for me and I don’t stick with it? I thought two and a half years ago. So I started by researching free resources (yay, free stuff!), mainly on YouTube. And I meditate almost every day now. Looking back, I wish I had a bit more guidance or structure. Meditation can bring up all kinds of frustration and anger with oneself for “not doing it right”. I wish someone would tell me – it’s ok – and – there is no right. 

Recently, I came across Headspace Guide to Meditation on Netflix. And I thought, what a great introduction to meditation! That’s exactly what I would have wished for when I first started. I need to share this!

Headspace is a mindfulness and meditation app. I downloaded and currently use the free version of it and maybe I will pay for the Plus in the future. But I have to say that if you’re looking for a place to ease yourself into meditating this is a great resource!

2.Yoga

When I first tried yoga many years ago I was constantly in my head. Thinking about all the things I had to do once the lesson was over. I couldn’t turn my brain off so, after half a year, I decided that this wasn’t for me. Maybe if it was power-yoga, something chop, chop, where I don’t have time to think about bullshit, I dismissed it.

But last year I dusted off my yoga practice and I found it in its complexity perfectly fitting with the mindfulness concept. I’ve been on the mat almost every day in the past year. I’ve been befriending the quiet, not trying to be louder than the noise in my head but learning to observe it and release it. 

And this year I dove a little deeper to reap more of the benefits of yoga. I’m on a 30-day yoga journey called Breath, focused on connecting movement with breath in a conscious way. I keep in touch with a couple of friends to share our impressions and keep each other motivated. The journey is for anyone regardless of previous experience so if you are interested, join in and let me know how it goes!

3.Creation

The act of creating is a great way to keep ourselves focused in the present. I love all kinds of creating. And I have chosen writing, in this instance, as a way of connecting with you guys and, hopefully, bringing you something that is useful or entertaining. I’m planning to open a new Prague related topic on the blog each month, which will

• Share with you some epiphany or discovery I made in the previous month.
• Continue with an interview with a Prague based expert on the topic,
• Provide a Prague guide that is relevant to the topic. 
• And wrap it all up by leaving you with a couple of tips you can try.

Don’t hesitate to subscribe below, and follow my Facebook or Instagram page, because I share new posts rather irregularly. I will be very happy to know there are people who find value in my writing. 

Suddenly feels like I can breathe better now when I cut me some slack. Thanks for taking a breather on my blog. In the next post, we will see how we can use mindfulness to enjoy music more.

Do you miss one resource that is tailor-made for expats living in Prague and will address Covid-19-related issues without an unnecessary fluff? I got you! Here’s a Prague Covid-19 Guide that I prepared for you.

In this guide, I will show you how to navigate life in Prague during the pandemic if you are an English speaker. 

We will cover all essential topics, and you will get quick access to information on: 

How to keep up with what’s going on if I don’t speak Czech?

Where to get reliable and up-to-date information?

What to do in any COVID-19 induced situation?

On top of that, I share how I dealt with the most common day-to-day situations that have changed during the pandemic and offer a couple of tips you can try too.

Get the Prague COVID-19 Guide